Pic-a-Pix Deluxe Comes To Switch On January 4

Puzzle games are one of the genres that I feel really benefits from the Switch’s hybrid nature. That’s because most of them don’t require any sort of high-end specs to run and they often lend themselves to quick play sessions – perfect for on-the-go fun. Plus, it’s fun to play on the big screen if it’s available and you just want to veg out with some puzzles.

As a huge fan of the Picross games, and indeed Picross S on the Switch, I have to admit that Pic-a-Pix Deluxe has piqued my interest. It’s basically a ripoff, but introduces colors into the mix as well as the ability to play with up to four players at once – all helping solve the boards.

The game will have 300 puzzles built into the base package with more available via DLC. The game will retail for $7.99 on the eShop and a free demo hits next Tuesday, December 19. The full game will arrive on January 4, 2018.

So what makes it “Deluxe”, compared to Pic-a-Pix Colour on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U?

There are 150 brand new colour Pic-a-Pix puzzles, designed by Conceptis. When solved, they make gorgeously cute pieces of pixel art and, of course, every puzzle is uniquely solvable using logic alone.

There are also 150 black and white puzzles, the kind you’d think of as a picross puzzle if you’d never seen our colour game before! Colour Pic-a-Pix tend to be a little easier so I know experienced players will appreciate the extra challenge of going back to black.

In total, that’s 300 new puzzles – twice as many as the previous game!

The puzzles got bigger too! On Nintendo 3DS, the largest grid possible was a 20×20. In Pic-a-Pix Deluxe, there are puzzles up to 35×25!

Of course, as it’s Nintendo Switch, you can play with a friend – or several friends! Just connect extra controllers and up to four players can solve any puzzle in the game together. Four players on a small puzzle is a bit hectic, but you could have the whole family work together on a larger picture, or just ask someone to drop in when you need a hand.

Handheld mode has touch screen controls – the first Picross game on Switch to include this feature 😉 You can touch the grid to paint squares or move the cursor by dragging at the side or top of the puzzle. This way, you can use touch controls even if your finger is too big for the squares, but direct input is still possible if you own a third-party stylus!

For those who did not play Pic-a-Pix Colour on Nintendo 3DS or Wii U, the puzzles included with that game will be available as launch day DLC. More DLC packs with new puzzles will be added throughout the year.

Craig has been covering the video game industry since 1995. His work has been published across a wide spectrum of media sites. He’s currently the Editor-In-Chief of Nintendo Times and contributes to Gaming Age.